The Talisman of Bokor
by arrasails1977
Summary: Start of an ongoing series called "His Witchy Woman" based around my 'shipper fics about Spike and Willow. Set in Season Four, Willow is possessed by a high priestess, bent on releasing her master in order to bring about the end of the world.


The Talisman of Bokór

**The Talisman of Bokór**

_**Part one**_

Buffy, Willow and Xander were helping Joyce, Buffy's mom, to do inventory for the gallery. They had volunteered - or rather, Willow and Buffy had volunteered and Xander had been coerced into it with the promise of free Twinkies.

Buffy picked up a small ornamental box. "Where did this come from, Mom? These symbols look weird." There were pagan symbols on it, along with what looked like old writing.

Joyce looked up from her ledger and said absently, "Oh, old Jim McFarlen bought it round. He gave it to me as a thank you for getting his coin collection appraised. He got a lot of money for those old coins," she added.

Buffy opened the box, wondering what she would find. She gasped softly. "Will, get a load of this," she said, motioning for Willow to go over.

Willow looked inside and her eyebrows shot up. She picked up one of the items that were in there. It was a necklace, made out of what looked like platinum, with a deep blue diamond-shaped stone as the pendant. "This is beautiful. Have you ever seen anything like it?"

Joyce looked up again and said, "If there is anything you like in there, you can take your pick, girls."

Xander walked over, chewing on a Twinkie. "Oh, yes, discriminate against me, why don't you? What am I going to get, the dainty little earrings? Oh, look at that ring!" He put his hand in and bought out a gaudy-looking ring. "Oh yes, just fits my pinkie," he said, admiring it. He looked at Joyce hopefully and she smiled dryly, nodding an affirmative at him. He went and sat back down, still admiring his prize, chewing on another Twinkie.

Buffy looked at the necklace, which Willow was placing around her neck. "Will, there are plenty of other - better looking - things in here, aside from that. A bit cheesy, don't you think?" Willow didn't seem to hear her. Buffy repeated herself and Willow picked up the pendant as it lay around her neck. "No, I think it's just me."

Willow lay on her back in bed, trying unsuccessfully to get to sleep. She had been tossing and turning for the last two hours. She was alone in the house, watching the house while her mom and dad were on a buying trip; being alone in the house probably wasn't helping. Just when she seemed to drop into a light doze, something would make her jump and wake up. Buffy had offered to stay with her, but she had known that Buffy wanted to spend some time with Riley.

She turned onto her side, looking at the necklace, which she had laid on her bedside table. The light of the full moon outside her window lit it up. She frowned. There was something very familiar about it. She got out of bed and went over to her bookcase. She found what she was looking for and took it back to bed. She opened the book and took the necklace in her hand. She turned a few pages and found what she wanted. There was a passage and also the pagan-like symbols, which were on the box the necklace, had been in.

"The Talisman of Bokór," she read aloud, "is the symbol of the Men'kaji People. It may only be worn by Chalera, the High Priestess of the order of Joma'Laran. She will return on the night of the full moon, to lead her followers to their destiny and to bring back the old ones. She needs contact with humans to remain all-powerful and her power lies within the talisman. This allows her to kill with a mere touch of her hand."

She shivered suddenly. The temperature seemed to have dropped suddenly. She put the book and the necklace down and went over to the chair where her sweater was lying. She picked it up and as she did, she glimpsed into the mirror. She looked behind her through the mirror and was astounded to see the necklace rise of it's own volition and begin to glow, a bright, blue, luminescent flame appearing. She turned and froze. The necklace stopped in front of her, swaying to and fro. She stared at it; hypnotised, mirroring it's movements. All of a sudden, the flame engulfed her and she screamed…

"Xander, have you seen Willow today? She wasn't in any of our classes. And she stayed at home last night since her parents are out of town." Buffy was speaking to him on the phone, worried about their friend.

"Have you called her?" he asked. It wasn't like Willow to cut class unless someone was bleeding or dying.

"I have, but I only got the answering machine," she explained. "I've got a free period now, will you come to her house with me, see what we find?"

"Sure, I'll meet you there," he said. They hung up.

"Hello, Will, are you here?" They were at Willow's house. They knocked and the door swung open. They looked at each other. They had been through enough that they would automatically assume the worst. They went inside cautiously, dreading what they would find. They looked about them in horror. The living room looked as though a bomb had hit it. There was furniture lying upturned, ornaments were broken, but nothing seemed to be missing.

"Willow!" Xander shouted, alarmed. He ran ahead of Buffy, looking in each room he came to. They were all in the same state as the living room. He ran upstairs, Buffy following closely behind. They ran into Willow's bedroom and stopped momentarily at the sight, which met them. Willow was lying on the floor, dried blood at her nose.

Xander ran over to her, kneeling over her. He was afraid to touch her. "Buffy," he said, looking over his shoulder, "go and call an ambulance, quick." She went, flying down the stairs as though her heels were on fire. Xander looked back at Willow, lying bleeding on the floor. He touched her cheek hesitantly and she whispered, "Xander, is that you?"

He was overjoyed that she was alive. There had been a while there when he had thought… "Yes, Will, it's me. Don't move," he added urgently as she tried to get up.

She shook her head confusedly. "I don't know what happened. One minute I was doing my homework, the next I heard a noise downstairs. I started to go down and that's the last thing I remember." As she finished talking, Buffy came back through the door.

When she saw that Willow was conscious, she let out a breath of relief. "Geez, Will, you scared the life out of us."

Willow smiled weakly and said, "I don't know what happened, Buffy. As I've just told Xander." She gazed intently at Xander for a moment, her eyes narrowing, then blinked looking woozy. "Are you OK, Will?" Xander asked, alarmed. He didn't wait for an answer, just looked at Buffy. "How long will the ambulance be?"

"They said they'd get someone out straight away. They said not to move her, just in case," she answered.

As she spoke, they heard the siren of an approaching ambulance. As the Paramedics loaded Willow into the back of the waiting ambulance, Willow fingered the ornate pendant resting around her neck. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, oblivious to the pair of concerned eyes watching her.

Willow was to spend that night in hospital, as a precaution, under observation. The doctors hadn't been able to discover what had happened, they had just surmised that she had fainted and banged her head on something to cause the nosebleed, even though she didn't have a mark on her. Aside from that, she seemed fine.

Xander and Buffy were sat at her bedside, along with Giles. "Sorry, guys, I didn't mean to make you worry."

Buffy clasped her hand and said, "Don't worry about that, Will. Can you tell us what happened?"

Willow shook her head and said, "I'm not too sure what happened. One minute, I was studying and the next, I was lying on the floor, Xander kneeling over me. But haven't I already told you this? My mind seems to be wandering slightly," she explained.

Giles patted her on the arm and said, "Don't worry yourself, Willow. We'll investigate and find out what happened."

Xander nodded and said, "Yeah, Will, you can pretty much guarantee that this is gonna be a Hellmouth-Mystical-Convergence thingy going on." He was just happy that she was awake and talking to them properly.

Willow frowned suddenly and said, "No!" She noticed them looking at her strangely, and added, "I mean, I think I just probably tripped and fell over. Nothing mystical going on there. Just me being clumsy."

Buffy shrugged and said, "OK, if that's what you think. We should be getting back now, anyway."

Willow looked around the room as they got up to leave and asked, "Where's my necklace? I know I had it on in the ambulance," she added.

Buffy nodded and took her bag from off her shoulder. "Yeah, Will, I put it in my bag for safe-keeping while they were examining you." She took the necklace from a small zip in the bag and handed it to Willow.

Willow took it and clenched it in her fist. "You know, I am pretty tired," she said yawning and closing her eyes tiredly. They nodded and went out the room, promising to come back the next morning to pick her up.

She kept her eyes closed until the door shut behind her visitors. She opened her eyes and sat up in the hospital bed, putting the necklace back around her neck. She looked around the room and noticed a cupboard. She got up and went over to it. She found her clothes and some make-up in her bag and quickly put her clothes and the makeup on, quietly leaving the room after checking nobody was about.

She left the hospital and got into a taxi, waiting outside the hospital at a rank. "The Bronze," she told the driver and said nothing else during the journey.

She asked the driver to pull up in an alley adjacent to the club and got out. She leant down at his window as he told her, "That'll be 12 dollars, miss."

She grimaced and shrugged her shoulders. "But I don't have any money," she said helplessly.

The driver looked at her and said grimly, "Look, I've seen too many of you young 'uns, trying to make out you haven't got the fare and I'm not gonna stand for it."

She smiled brightly at him and said, "You don't have to stand for it. You just have to be there. I need union," she added, touching him lightly on his arm. He started to shake violently and a look of agony came over his features as she smiled and shivered. "Yes!" she growled, quivering. She straightened and ran her hands through her hair, mussing it. "It's been too long, but my time has come." She took out a tube of lipstick and put some on, looking in a compact mirror. She pouted at her reflection for a second and then threw back her head and laughed. It was time.

As she walked away from the taxi, into the bronze, she never looked back to the charred remains of the driver, lying dead in the driver's seat.

Inside the club, it was dark, smoky and noisy. There was a band playing. It had been a long time – over 500 years since she had heard music of any kind – and it had never been like this. She liked it. She suddenly lifted her head and sensed that there was a vampire in here, somewhere. She closed her eyes and turned her head to her left and she saw him. Willow, the girl whose body she inhabited recognised him, so she did as well. He was blond wearing a long black leather coat, leather trousers, T-shirt and a red duster. He was nursing what looked to be the 7th in a long line of beers and she could sense that he was not in a good mood.

Spike.

She smiled and sauntered seductively over to him, her hips swaying unconsciously in time to the beat.

As a shadow fell over him, Spike growled without looking up and said menacingly, "Sod off!"

As the shadow stayed there, he said in a threatening voice, "I told you to sod…" he looked up and his jaw dropped as he recognised the girl standing over him. It was the Slayer's pet witch, but not looking like he'd ever saw her. She stared at him from under hooded eyelids and smiled at him seductively. A shiver ran down his spine.

"You really don't want me to do that, do you William?"

His eyes narrowed. She had never addressed him by his human name before. Then again, he'd never seen her looking like this before. It wasn't her clothing – they were the same clothes that she normally wore. No, he thought, it was her attitude. His eyes widened as she moved closer to him and sat on his lap. She bent to his neck and started nipping it lightly with her teeth.

He sat there for a moment, stunned. "Uh, Red," he stuttered, "what do you think you're doing?"

She laughed huskily and nipped harder. "And here I thought you were the experienced one. You can't have forgotten, surely?" She wriggled suggestively on his lap.

"Hey, hey, hey. Less of that," he said, unwrapping her arms from around his neck. "Are you drunk, or something? Or did Dog-boy going off, melt your brain?" he added, still trying to dislodge her from his lap.

She frowned at him for a moment and then smiled again. "Of course not Spikey-boy, it's just been such a _long_ time. Wanna go get a room? It's been so long since I've done it with a vampire."

He frowned at her disgustedly and sneered. "Oh, yeah, what is this? Some sort of trap? I take you to a motel room, and out pops the Slayer, ready to stake my ass? Not bloody likely! OK, Slayer, you can come out now! What are you doing, trolling for victims, now?" he added loudly, looking around for Buffy.

Willow grasped his arm with surprising strength, her nails biting into the leather of his coat. "A Slayer? Where? Tell me," she added imperiously, glaring at him.

Spike looked at her as though she had grown another head. "What? Your friend? Buffy? Like I said, are you drunk?" He nodded gently and took her arm. "OK, what say we get you home and you can have a nice early night, and I can get back to the drowning of my sorrows?" He suddenly remembered what she had just said and frowned. "And by the way, what do you mean, 'it's been a long time since you've done it with a vampire?' Who was the last one?"

She stopped glaring at him and smiled again. She wriggled one last time and got off his lap. "Wouldn't you like to know? Last chance about that room. Sure you don't wanna?" She noticed the glazed look, which came into his eyes and grinned widely. She trailed her hand lightly over his cheek, lingering for a moment on his lips. She bent and kissed him lingeringly. "You really don't know what you're missing. Would have been the best night of your un-life," she whispered. She straightened up and turned to the dance floor, and began dancing with the first guy she came to.

Spike glared at her, feeling hot and unfulfilled. He didn't know what was wrong with Red but he thought as much as it went against the grain, that he'd better tell the Slayer about this. As he got up from his chair, he looked at Willow, writhing sexily with a group of four guys on the dance-floor. He remembered something he had said to the Slayer a few weeks ago, and repeated it now – this time for the witch. "I get this chip out, you and me are gonna have a confrontation." He left the club, in search of the Slayer.

_**Part two**_

The gang was at Giles' house, talking. They were worried about Willow, but were grateful that she was all right. They were still curious about what had really happened though.

"Do you think that she could have banged her head and just forgot about it? I-I mean, temporary amnesia is not unheard of after a traumatic incident," Giles supposed.

"I don't think so," answered Buffy. "The doctors couldn't find any evidence of a bang on the head, though she did have the nosebleed." She looked down at her hands and added, "Does anyone else think she was acting a bit strange?"

Xander looked at her and shrugged. He was just happy that his best friend was OK. "No, I didn't notice anything. She seemed fine to me."

Anya sat next to Xander, her expression bored. "She was probably just trying to get some attention. I've met her kind before," she added looking at her nails.

Buffy and Giles looked at her in disbelief. "Yes," said Buffy sarcastically, drawing the word out. "Willow went round the house, overturning furniture and causing a mess, just so that we would pay attention to her."

Anya nodded. "Well, I didn't want to be the first to say it."

Xander hugged her to him sheepishly. "My girlfriend – stand in awe."

Buffy and Giles gave him a filthy look. "I think she was acting strange. I mean, I know it was alright, but did you see the panic attack she had when she thought we had lost her necklace?" she saw the way they were looking at her and shrugged. "I'm the Slayer – paranoia comes with the job description."

Giles cleared his throat and said, "I think we should probably talk to her. Willow is a reasonable young woman. She'll help us find out what is happening."

An accented voice suddenly interrupted him. "Reasonable is not a word I would use to describe Red in her present frame of mind." Spike walked through the doorway and added, "Rupert mate, I've told you before about leaving your door unlocked. All manner of strange people could just walk right in. This being the Hellmouth and all."

Giles gave him a dirty look and said, "And as I have said before, I am just kicking myself. What do you want?"

Spike opened his mouth to speak and was interrupted by Buffy. "What do you know about Willow? Did you have something to do with what happened to her?"

Spike frowned. "What happened to her? What are you talking about? I'm talking about the fact that I was just sitting in the Bronze, minding my own business and she comes over and starts acting like Slutty here," he said, nodding towards Buffy.

Buffy ignored the slight and concentrated instead on what he had said. "You couldn't possibly have seen Willow just now. She's been in hospital since late this afternoon. Something happened at her house and we found her unconscious," she explained. "There is no way you could have just seen her at the Bronze!" she added.

Spike shrugged. "Well, I don't know what to tell you, but unless she has a slutty doppelganger hanging around, I was just molested by the little witch." He grinned.

Buffy and the others looked at each other in horror, each of them remembering the time just over a year ago, when Willow's evil vampire twin had been summoned when she and Anya had performed a spell in order to get Anya's demonic power-centre back, and pulled the doppelganger through instead.

Giles looked at his watch and said, "Maybe I ought to call the hospital and check…" He went over to the phone and dialled.

Xander nodded emphatically. He was also remembering the evil Willow and was getting shivers down his spine – not necessarily from fear. Anya looked at them and said disparagingly, "Who could have bought evil Willow back? You would need 2 powerful witches in order to create a temporal fold of that magnitude. The only one I know – other than myself of course! – is Willow. And I know I didn't do it."

Giles came back from the phone, his face pale. "It appears Willow has disappeared from the hospital. They discovered her room empty about twenty minutes after we left. Nice of someone to let us know," he added bitterly, his mind running through all the things that could have happened to Willow since Spike at left her at the Bronze.

Buffy stood up, pale. She was thinking that no matter what the doctors had said, Willow must have been more injured than they had thought. "Come on, we have to get to the Bronze and check if she is still there." They all followed her out of the house, Spike bringing up the rear, grumbling to himself.

Not even to himself, would he admit that he was worried about Willow. She was just a big softy really – anything could be happening to her. He gave Buffy a push and said, "Come on, get a move on. We have to get to the Bronze!" He ignored the looks they were giving him and carried on to Giles' car – his new Skoda Estate.

_**Part Three**_

There were lights flashing as they pulled up in front of the Bronze. There were police cars and an ambulance, which were covering the access to the alley adjacent to the nightclub.

They got out of the car, each of them fearing what they would find if they approached the alley, Buffy leading the way.

As they approached, they could smell something that smelled like roasted meat. Buffy pushed past the police and as the others distracted their attention. She moved toward the covered body lying on the floor next to a Dumpster. She checked to make sure nobody was watching and then reached over and lifted the sheet, fearful that she would see a mane of red hair.

The sight that met her almost made her heave. If she hadn't been the Slayer, she was sure she would have fainted. The body was that of a middle-aged man, his skin charred and blistered and his eyes were scorched as though he had been attacked with a flame-thrower. His hair, however, seemed to have escaped unscathed.

She got up and stumbled back to the others, who were now stood, along with most of the crowd who had been in the Bronze earlier in the night.

"What?" Xander asked, seeing how pale and shaken his friend was. He also went pale. "It's not…"

Buffy shook herself and croaked, "No, it's not Willow. But even so, you don't want to see it. It was a man. He was burned alive," she added starkly.

Giles grimaced and said, "I think the best thing we can do now is to find Willow and get out of here."

Buffy nodded, looking more normal. "Yes," she agreed. "Has anyone seen her yet?" They looked around, searching for their friend.

"There she is," said Anya, pointing over to where Willow was standing, looking at the commotion.

They went over to her and Buffy hugged her best friend. "Oh, Will, we thought something had happened…"

Willow shrugged out of her embrace and replied, "No, I'm just fine."

"Why did you leave the hospital?" asked Xander, curious.

Willow took something from her pocket and the others were astounded to see her take out a packet of Marlboro cigarettes and a lighter. She lit one and took a deep drag. "I felt better so I left," she explained simply. She looked over to where a silent Spike stood. "What, Spike, did you change your mind about that room? Don't say I scared you? The big bad vampire afraid of a little girl?" she asked sneeringly.

"What's the matter with you Will?" asked Buffy. "This isn't like you. Maybe we should get you back to the hospital to make sure you're OK."

Willow's eyes narrowed. "You're Buffy, yes? The Slayer. It's been a long time since I've been up against a Slayer. The last one imprisoned my spirit in this necklace. But now, thanks to the witch whose body I possess, I can achieve my destiny and release the Old Ones."

They all looked at her, astounded. "I definitely think we need to get you back to hospital, Will." Xander took her arm and started to lead her to Giles' car, when he gave a strangled cry, cradling his hand tightly in his other. He looked at Willow and then back to his hand, which was beginning to show scorching and blisters. "Will, what are you doing?!" he asked, cradling his injured hand.

Buffy looked at Willow and said, "You're not joking are you? Who are you?" she asked, unsure of what to do. This was her best friend.

"I am Chalera, the High Priestess of the Men'kaji people. My order is devoted to bringing about the resurrection of the Joma'Laran, my Masters."

Buffy looked back into the alley, then back to her friend. "You didn't…"

Willow laughed. "You already know the answer to that, I'm sure. I required the energy of the man, in order to increase my strength. This body was more amenable to it than even I would have thought. She has an evil side to her nature. She was easily persuaded to join with me."

"I don't believe that!" exploded Xander, his pain forgotten in the face of Chalera's explanation. "Willow wouldn't do anything to hurt a living thing. For God's sake, she won't even kill a spider!"

Willow/Chalera grinned at him, unperturbed. "Since the joining I have this girl's memories. She remembers what it was to pretend to be a vampire. To be bad. When I merged with her, it was with her full co-operation. She felt the power, which comes from the taking of a human life. The power flows through you like no other!" she added, closing her eyes and shivering.

They stood there, silent, unable to speak. They couldn't believe this was their friend. Spike for one, was almost catatonic. Willow was the only one of the group whom he really felt comfortable with. Though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, she was the only friend he really had and he wouldn't allow anyone to harm her.

"Willow, please just come with us, I'm sure there is something we can do to help you," assured Giles.

Willow shook her head, truly perplexed. "What is it with humans? I try to tell you that Willow doesn't want to be with you anymore, but do you listen? No," she answered her own question. "She has felt what it is to be in control of life and death. She has no need of you any more. There is nothing any of you can do," she added, crushing the now finished with cigarette under her heel.

Ignoring her, Buffy grasped hold of Willow's arm.

"No, don't touch…"cried Xander.

Willow flicked a wrist at her and Buffy went flying through the air to land about 30 feet away, the wind knocked from her lungs. She sat up gingerly, breathing shallowly. "Willow, you have to fight her. This isn't you!" Buffy coughed.

Willow looked at her and frowned confusedly for a moment and Buffy thought she might have reached her. But then, Willow sneered and said, "Forget it, Slayer. This body is mine to do with as I wish. With my powers and those of this girl, my masters will finally be free. And there is no way you can get me out the way the other Slayer did. An interesting side-effect of Willow being a witch is that the only way you can banish me from this body is to kill the host." With that, she flashed her hand over her face, and to their astonishment, disappeared.

Buffy walked back over to where they still stood and they all looked at each other for a moment, unable to believe what had just happened. Anya broke the silence by stating, "Well, we are in deep shit now."

_**Part Four.**_

They all went back to Giles' house, trying to decide which course of action to take.

"Giles, do you have any idea who this Chalera is?" asked Buffy.

Xander and Anya had gone to get some ointment for the burn on his hand while Giles, Buffy and Spike looked through Giles' books for some reference to Chalera, the Men'Kaji people or the Joma'Laran.

"Spike," she added, "Will you either look in one of those books, or stop pacing. You are making me in need of some serious sea-sick pills," she concluded, slamming down the book she had been reading.

Spike growled at her. "Look, I'm better at kicking some demon's arse than looking up stuff in a book. You do the research thing and I'll prepare myself to do the kickin' and punchin'," he added, scowling.

"Look you two. Arguing is not going to help Willow, so why don't you both stop bickering and help with this research?" Giles interrupted them.

Buffy gave Spike a glare as she picked up a new book, which Spike returned with interest as he slumped down in the chair to glower at her.

Xander and Anya came in, carrying a box of donuts, a bandage on Xander's left hand.

"Guys, Anya has been thinking while we were at the pharmacy, waiting for my prescription to be filled. Go on honey, tell them," he urged.

They all looked at Anya in askance. She frowned at Xander for a moment, wishing she had never mentioned anything to him. She always got herself in trouble, trying to help humans. "Just over 500 years ago, there were rumours in Arash'Mahar of a high priestess attempting to release the power of Joma'Laran. The power is the essence of pure evil. Event the demons in Arash'Mahar feared the advent of the Old Ones. They all knew that the only way to defeat them was to remove the High Priestess and they also knew that the Talisman would be required for the ritual. They knew they wouldn't be able to defeat Chalera alone – they would need help. So," she added, breathing deeply, "for the first and only time, the demons worked in conjunction with the Slayer. They trapped Chalera in the Talisman, if I remember correctly."

"But that won't work this time, yes?" asked Giles. "Chalera said that because Willow is a witch, it negates the effect of trapping Chalera in the Talisman again."

Spike interrupted him. "So then, people, what are we going to do? Come on," he added as the other looked at each other. "You people are the brains here – what do we do?"

Anya cleared her throat and said, "Maybe you don't want to hear this, but the only way to get rid of Chalera could be to sacrifice Willow. The destruction the Old Ones will bring on us all will surely be worth the sacrifice of one person," she insisted when she saw the ferocious glares she was on the receiving end of.

"Now, Cutie, you know when you venture opinions, people die, so why don't you stop with the Star Trek crap – the need of the many outweighs the need of the few - and shut the hell up!" said Spike forcefully.

As Anya sat back down in a huff, Xander walked over to Buffy and Giles. "You haven't found anything?" he asked, gesturing to the books strewn all over the tables. Spike interrupted by stating, "Bloody sod all, is what they've found. There has to be something somewhere. Giles, where is your laptop? I'll surf the net and see what I can find."

The others all looked at him, dumbfounded. "What?" he asked. "I only use it to download porn and screensavers," he defended.

Despite the solemnity of the situation, they grinned to themselves.

While Giles got out Willow's laptop, which she had left there after their last research session, the others sat down to look through more of Giles' books.

"This is soddin' ridiculous!" exclaimed Spike 2 hours later. His search had been fruitless, even looking through the websites that Willow had bookmarked in her Favourites folder.

"Are you sure you've got it switched on?" Anya asked snidely, still stung from what he had said to her earlier.

Ignoring her, Spike looked at Buffy and asked, "Anything in those books, Slayer?"

"Absolutely nothing," relied Buffy. "There are a few references to the Old Ones, but nothing concrete."

"Well, if I may say something…" interrupted Anya.

"If it's anything like your other helpful suggestion, then we don't want to hear it," answered Buffy.

Anya ignored her and said, "You're going at this in totally the wrong way. You ought to just go straight to D'Hoffryn. He'll know what to do," she finished triumphantly.

Buffy looked at her in amazement. "Are you kidding? The last time D'Hoffryn showed up, everything went totally haywire."

Spike interrupted her. "Yeah; no matter how many times I floss – I still have Buffy taste in my mouth."

Anya ignored them both and looked at Giles. "C'mon, you're the voice of reason here. You know I'm right," she insisted. "D'Hoffryn could be the only chance we have."

Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief and then put them back on. "As much as this goes against the grain, I…have to agree with Anya." He rushed over the last five words, unable to believe that he was agreeing with…Anya.

"That's all very well and good, but do you even know how to summon him? As I recall, you didn't have much luck last time, did you?" snickered Spike.

Anya gave him a dirty look. "I've been practising for the last few months, trying to summon him. I'm nearly there," she insisted.

"Uh, honey, you never told me you were looking into the vengeance thing again," said Xander nervously.

"Oh, don't worry, I can handle it," she assured him.

They were interrupted by Buffy, who suddenly gave a moan and collapsed, falling unconscious to the floor.

"Buffy!" exclaimed Giles.

_**Part five**_

"…Buffy! I'm so glad I was able to bring you here!"

Buffy opened her eyes to see a nebulous figure looming over her. The figure came forward and she was amazed to see who it was. She jumped up and embraced the shadowy figure.

"Willow! Where are we? How are you? What am I doing here?" she babbled.

Willow pulled away from her to smile gently at her. "Since Chalera has been inhabiting my body, I have been able to use her powers when she is not aware of it. I can now astrally project and go inside other people's minds."

Buffy looked at her, very glad to see her best friend; even an astrally projected image of her. " What do you mean, when she's not aware?"

"Chalera is asleep at the moment. She only sleeps for an hour or so, so I don't have much time."

Buffy grasped Willow by the arms. "Have you learned anything that can help us to get you back? We haven't been able to find anything. We're even desperate enough to look to Anya for inspiration. She said that we should contact D'Hoffryn."

Willow looked sadly at her for a moment and then said, "Well, whatever you do, please do it soon," she begged distraughtly.

Buffy looked at her and said comfortingly, "I know this is hard, Will…"

"No, Buff, you don't! I had to just stand by, while she killed that cab driver. And even though I was repulsed by it, I could feel the pleasure she took from taking the life of that man. And I couldn't do anything to stop her. Even when she hurt Xander," tears filled her eyes. "I don't want to have to go through that where I can't stop her from killing one of my friends. I'd rather die," she finished starkly.

Buffy hugged her and said reassuringly, "It won't come to that, Will."

Willow pushed her away and said irritably, "Buffy, you don't know what it's like. I couldn't stop her when she hurt Xander and threw you across the alley. I know that contacting D'Hoffryn won't do anything. I heard what she told you – I was there, remember? The only way to stop her is to kill me."

Buffy shook her head emphatically. "That is not an option, Will. There has to be another way."

Willow took Buffy by the arms. "It is the only way. Now, Buffy, God knows, I don't want to die, but I know what will happen if she brings the Old Ones forth. The world has never seen an evil such as theirs before. I don't want to be the cause of that. You will have to kill me."

"No, Will, I won't do it!"

Willow was about to reply when she suddenly looked up. "Chalera is about to wake up. I have to go now."

"No, not yet, we don't know what to do…"

"You _know_ what you have to do, Buff," said Willow sadly. "It's time to wake up now." She closed her eyes and Buffy was almost blinded by a white light.

"…Buffy, wake up. Buffy!"

Buffy opened her eyes to find herself lying on Giles' couch, the others hovering over her.

"What happened?" she asked groggily.

"You tell us," replied Xander. "One minute, we're talking and the next, you collapse on the floor."

"Yes, and I think you were drooling," added Anya helpfully.

"Where's Willow?" asked Buffy, looking desperately around her.

Spike looked at her strangely. "Willow isn't here, Slayer, remember? She's been possessed by a mad high priestess," he reminded her.

"No," she said vigorously. "I was with her, talking to her."

"I think getting beaten up by vampires and demons nightly for the last 4 years is finally taking a toll on you," said Anya, shaking her head disgustedly.

"I'm not mad," exclaimed Buffy. "She was with me. She said she wants us to help her defeat Chalera. She said that calling on D'Hoffryn wouldn't help us either," she added, glaring at Anya.

"How does she know that?" asked Giles curiously.

"Well, the funny thing is, even though Chalera can control Willow, and knows what she is thinking, she can also control Chalera while she is asleep. She was able to project herself in my mind, which is why I collapsed," she explained.

"Did she have any idea how to defeat Chalera?" asked Xander eagerly.

Buffy looked at her hands for a moment, then said unconvincingly, "No, she didn't."

As the others sighed in disappointment, Spike's eyes narrowed. He knew the Slayer was hiding something. He caught her eye and she looked away guiltily. "You know something, Slayer. What is it?" he asked.

"It's nothing. Willow didn't know anything."

Giles cleared his throat and said, stammering, "If – if you know something Buffy, you have to tell us. From the little information we have found, the advent of the Old Ones is not going to be a pleasant experience."

Xander and Anya nodded, glaring at Buffy.

"OK, OK," she said defensively. "All she said was that she knew that Chalera was telling the truth when she told us the only way to get rid of her."

They all looked at each other for a moment, horrified expressions crossing their faces.

"Oh, are we catching up now?" asked Anya. "See, Willow knows that the only way to defeat Chalera is to kill Willow. And what were her thoughts on this?" she asked interestedly.

Buffy opened her mouth to make a pithy comment, when Spike interrupted. "Who cares what she thinks? There is no way that we are going to kill her to get rid of Chalera!" he added harshly.

"No I know, and as I told Willow, that is not an option," explained Buffy, giving Anya a fierce look. "Are you sure you're not still a demon? The way you talk you'd think that there wasn't an ounce of humanity in you," she posed to Anya.

Anya folded her arms and squared-up to Buffy. "Look, just because I'm the only one here who can see the big picture, and you're worried about Willow…"

"OK, OK, children, let's stop with the arguing. None of this is helping Willow," interrupted Giles.

Buffy gave a last glare at Anya, then sat down on the sofa next to Spike. "I'm just amazed that the only one who seems to agree with me that the idea of killing Willow is ludicrous, is a bloodthirsty killer," she grumbled.

"Hey!" said Spike, Giles and Xander in unison.

"I think the best thing we can do is to sit down calmly and discuss what we are going to do," suggested Giles, as ever the voice of reason.

They sat down, when all of a sudden the room began to shake, pots and pans falling from their hooks in the kitchen; vases and ceramic pots falling from the shelves and bookcases.

When it was over, Buffy put her hands on the arm of the sofa where she sat and said, "This is just what we need right now. The last earthquake we had, the Hellmouth was nearly opened again."

They all looked at each other. This did not bode well at all.

_**Part six**_

Black candles flickered in the darkened room. 11 hooded figures surrounded them, rocking back and forth and chanting in an indecipherable language. A pentagram was drawn on the ground in blood.

A figure draped in a crimson cloak, approached the candles and knelt on the floor in front of them, arms outstretched. The figure reached up and took off the hood; it was Willow.

She began chanting. "Tu mala kareta, rayun de Joma'Laran. Shenara, tu me viena, vularis." She continued, sprinkling a red powder over the bloody symbol on the floor. She took a bejewelled dagger from a velvet sheath and continued chanting.

She held the knife in one hand and closed her eyes. She slashed it on the palm of her other hand, cutting a large, bleeding gash across the palm. She held her bleeding hand over the pentagram, watching as her blood dripped on to the symbol.

The room began to shake around her and she shouted triumphantly, "Yes! My masters, free yourselves! Come forth!"

The talisman around her neck began to glow and she was bathed in a bright white light. She gave a small moan and fell backwards into the waiting arms of one of her priests.

_Back at Giles…_

"I've got something!"

Spike was sat back at the laptop, still searching for a way out of this mess. He got up excitedly and began pacing. What he had found did not make their decision any easier.

"Spike, calm down and tell us what you have found," said Giles calmly, despite feeling as agitated as the blond vampire.

"I have found that we are royally screwed, is what," replied Spike, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep drag.

Buffy approached the laptop and read what was on the screen. The details were sketchy, but what was there, was not encouraging. It told the basics of what had happened just over 500 years ago; there had been massacres performed in the name of the Joma'Laran – all under the guise of religion – worshippers bent on the release of the Old Ones.

She read that there would be required a sacrifice – who would be the embodiment of the Joma'Laran's High Priestess.

"But that's Willow!" she exclaimed. "We have to stop this!"

Anya leaned over her shoulder, looking at the screen. "Ooh, look at that," she said, interested. "It says that there were 300 men, women and children killed during this time. And all in the name of the Old Ones. Fascinating," she added.

Buffy looked at her. "I just know you meant to say gross and disturbing. We can't let this happen."

She was interrupted by the appearance of a bright light. They shielded their eyes and when they uncovered them, they were all astounded to see Willow standing before them.

Buffy ran towards her. "Willow, have you found anything?"

Willow shook her head agitatedly. "No. But you have to stop Chalera. She is at the docks in warehouse 5B. She has started the ritual; I don't there is much time left before the Joma'Laran rise."

"How did you get here, Red?" asked Spike, concerned. "The Slayer said that you could only do the astral projection thing when Chalera was unconscious."

"She is," she replied. "It must have something to do with the ritual. I think it took a lot out of her," she added. "But this is all beside the point," she added, vexed. "I have seen what will happen if the Joma'Laran are released upon the world. You thought the Hellmouth was bad? You haven't seen anything yet! Buffy if it comes down to it, you will have to kill me."

Buffy shook her head emphatically. "I can't do that; I can't kill my best friend."

Willow looked at her friends assembled around her. "If you can't stop it happening, then I'll have to find a way myself." She took a last look at them and said poignantly, "Goodbye my friends."

She began to fade from view. "No!" they shouted simultaneously. It was no use – she was already gone.

Buffy firmed her jaw and said decisively, "Come on guys, we have to get to the docks now."

_**Part seven **_

They stood outside warehouse 5B, armed to the back-teeth with weapons.

"I can see Willow. She is sitting at the edge of a pentagram," informed Xander, from the dirty window he was peering into.

"OK, guys, this is it. Be careful, watch your backs and try to get Willow before she does anything stupid," Buffy directed.

She opened the door quietly. There were no guards about. "Do you get the impression they're not worried about anything we might attempt to do?" asked Xander nervously and rhetorically.

The others gave him a filthy look and they approached the position where Willow sat, chanting.

She suddenly stopped chanting. Eyes still closed, she said, "Hello, Slayer. And you've bought the Scooby Gang with you." She turned her head toward them and smiled, unconcerned. "What do I have to do to convince you that there is nothing you can do?" She shook her head disgustedly and said to the demons surrounding her, "I don't have time for this. Get rid of them." She turned back to the pentagram and resumed chanting.

The demons rushed the gang as one. As Buffy blocked a roundhouse kick with her arm, she shouted over her shoulder, "Somebody get to Willow. We have to stop this."

"Having a few problems here with that, Slayer," Spike shouted back, game-face on, while smacking a demon in the head with his clenched fist.

"If you can hold them off, I'll get to Willow," she shouted back, head-butting the demon before her.

"Buffy, go, we can deal," cried Xander, kicking another demon.

She gave the demon one last head-butt, making him cry out and fall to the floor. She jumped over his still form and ran to where Willow was. As she approached, Willow stood up and said, sneering, "There was nothing you could do Slayer. You couldn't protect your friend before this and you won't be able to protect her now."

"If you hurt Willow, you will only be hurting yourself. We know that you're going to be the sacrifice in order to bring the Old Ones into being. Don't you realise that you will die as well?" asked Buffy desperately, trying to find a way to get Chalera out of her friend without hurting Willow.

Willow approached Buffy and put both hands around the Slayer's throat, slowly squeezing. No matter how she struggled, Willow continued applying pressure, little by little strangling her friend.

When Buffy was nearly unconscious, Willow suddenly gave a strangled cry. "No! I was nearly there."

She released Buffy so suddenly that the Slayer fell to the floor choking for breath. She looked up in horror and saw that Willow was gasping for air much as she herself had been a moment ago. She fell to the floor, no longer able to stand. "No, so close…" she mumbled incoherently, her voice fading to a strangled gasp.

Buffy knelt beside her friend as she lay still. She picked up her hand, feeling the others assembling around her. "Will," she said urgently.

Willow opened her eyes weakly and smiled softly at her. "I did it Buffy, didn't I?"

Buffy nodded, tears forming in her eyes as she realised that her friend had pushed the Chalera entity from her body. She looked up at the others. They were all standing over her, in tears as well. She looked back at Willow and saw that she was quickly fading. "Will! No, you can't leave us!"

Willow shook her head weakly and said, "This is the way its meant to be Buffy. I stopped Chalera, but it took too much out of me." Buffy shook her head, crying in earnest. "You can't blame yourselves," she added, smiling up at her dearest friends. "I did what needed to be done. I love all you guys." She squeezed Buffy's hand strongly one last time and her head rolled to the side.

Buffy gathered Willow in her arms and hugged her friend, tears rolling unchecked down her cheeks. "Come on, Buffy. She's gone," said Giles, tears in his eyes. He couldn't believe either that Willow was dead. He put his hand on Buffy's shoulder and lifted her to him, hugging her tightly. "We have to go."

She allowed him to lead her away, Xander and Anya following. She looked back to where Spike stood, still looking at Willow's still form. He picked her up gently and carried her outside.

29


End file.
